Coalhurst fire department assists with Jasper Wildfire Complex response

By Lethbridge Herald on August 15, 2024.

Submitted photo - Members of the Coalhurst Volunteer Fire Department assisted with urban-interface wildfire response in the Municipality of Jasper between July 24 and August 5.

The Coalhurst Volunteer Fire Department is one of many organizations that has helped fight the Jasper Wildfire Complex this summer. Multiple wildfires began in Jasper National Park on July 22 and evacuations of the Town of Jasper and Jasper National Park began shortly thereafter.

On July 24, CVFD received a request from the Province of Alberta to send personnel and equipment to Jasper to assist with structure protection and urban-interface firefighting.

“Within an hour we had four team members on the road, including myself, one of our Captains, and two firefighters,” said Coalhurst Deputy Fire Chief Willie Williams in a news release Wednesday.

“We spent the first couple days helping with structure protection and then transitioned to night shift to address hot spots and flare ups around the community and its boundary. On August 1, we had two new firefighters come up to relieve two crew members, and by August 5 we were all home again.”

In addition to the personnel, the department’s new Wildland Fire Truck was deployed.

“Our unit was definitely put to the test over the course of 10 or 11 days and performed very well,” said Williams.

“Throughout the response, we found some areas where the unit can be further improved for future emergencies. But overall, we’re happy with the way it allowed our team to work and kept us safe during dynamic and rapidly changing conditions.”

During the deployment, Deputy Chief Williams was also placed in a leadership role as Task Force Leader, at times leading up to 17 firefighters on the night shift.

“I’m incredibly proud of our members and the service they provided in Jasper,” said Coalhurst Fire Chief Mitch Sorsdahl.

“It’s an honour to help our neighbours when something major like this occurs, but this particular response was even more personal for our team because of the connection we have with Fire Chief Conte.”

Prior to joining the Municipality of Jasper in 2021, Matthew Conte was Fire Chief in Coalhurst and was with the local department for more than 21 years. He worked with many of the current CVFD members, including its Deputy Chief and Captain who deployed to this wildfire. Conte’s father is also a previous Coalhurst Fire Chief.

“Regardless of where a major interface fire like this may happen in the province, our team would be ready to assist, but given our history with the Conte family and the years we’ve served together, this deployment has meant even more. There has been a lot of devastation in and around the Jasper area over the last few weeks and we’re thinking of everyone who has been affected and continues to work through a very challenging situation,” said Sorsdahl.

During the deployment, emergency response resources at home were still well maintained and crew members were kept busy with a number of calls, including multiple wildland grass fires and motor vehicle collisions, medical calls, and a mutual aid response in Coaldale due to a fire at a recycling facility.

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